LAKEWOOD — Heading into Friday’s Pomona game at Jeffco Stadium, an undefeated Columbine football team was set to face its biggest test yet. In the end, however, the Rebels stayed perfect with a 35-13 victory over their Panther foes.

That performance was good enough to garner enough votes in the CHSAANow.com poll to move them up from the No. 3 ranking to No. 1. They also secured the 5A Metro West League title with the win.

LAKEWOOD — Dakota Ridge football reeled rival Chatfield back to the pack in the race for the Class 4A Jeffco League on Thursday at Jeffco Stadium.

The Eagles rallied in the second half for a 31-21victory over the Chargers. According to Dakota Ridge coach Ron Woitalewicz, it’s the first win on the football field for Dakota Ridge over Chatfield since 2003.

Going into their Oct. 18 match at Columbine, the Chargers — now ranked No. 10 in the latest CHSAANow.com poll — had enjoyed an 8-1 game streak and were favored to top the Rebels. With a 3-0 final, that’s exactly what they did.

Never again in our district — not on our watch. These are words to live by when it comes to safety and security in Jeffco Schools, and one of the many reasons I support Jeffco Schools 5A and 5B.

The mill levy override and bond will fund important security improvements in our schools. Funds from 5A will allow Jeffco to put more campus supervisors in middle schools, and more security personnel and School Resource Officers at all school levels.

Ballots were mailed out on Monday. When yours arrives, it will be the most important piece of mail in your mailbox.

This year’s midterm election carries enormous political stakes. But the vast majority of eligible voters will likely ignore their ballots and not bother to vote. Voter turnout in the 2014 midterms was the lowest since the Census Bureau first began tracking it in 1978. And only 23.1 percent of 18- to 34-year-olds voted.

If you know Sal Christ, you know she’s not one to toot her own horn. She’s never been one who has wanted to be in the spotlight. But there comes a time when someone should take notice of what others have accomplished, and that’s the point of this column.

A veteran journalist, Sal is leaving Evergreen Newspapers this week for a nine-month fellowship program with the American Political Science Association in Washington, D.C. Yes, Ms. Christ is going to Washington, and we here couldn’t be happier for her.

The joint arraignment for seven people arrested for allegedly operating an identity theft ring in Jefferson County and elsewhere in the metro area has been postponed.

Four men and four women are accused of operating the ring, which affected at least 26 merchants and 14 victims, according to the indictment. Of the eight, one suspect — Faith Knight — remains at large.

When Anne Schade arrived to Rosie’s Wild Flour Bakery and Cafe early morning on Oct. 10, the glass door of her business was broken.

Fortunately for Schade, nothing was stolen, and the person who broke in was “long gone.” But her business, which opened in July, was the first of many in South Jeffco to be hit early that morning in a series of smash-and-grab burglaries.